Next Big Thing: ‘Pachinko’ Star Minha Kim on Bringing History to Life
To cast the young adult Sunja, the central character in Apple TV+’s ambitious multilingual, multigenerational historical epic Pachinko, “we needed someone special and timeless,” showrunner Soo Hugh tells THR. Although the producers considered the Korean industry’s trove of popular and accomplished stars (having already tapped Oscar winner Yuh-Jung Youn to play the older version of the character and later choosing global heartthrob Lee Minho as one of the younger Sunja’s love interests), the seven-country search for the pivotal part ultimately landed on a relative newcomer.
Seoul-born actress Minha Kim auditioned over a period of nearly four months with a number of scenes that span Sunja’s evolution from an innocent teen in a 1930s Korean fishing village to, by the end of season one, a mother of two learning to provide for her family as a migrant in pre-World War II Japan. “She didn’t have any [industry] connections. She got that role because she was undeniable,” says director Kogonada of Kim, who studied acting in college and had just a handful of credits — mostly in indie films and web dramas, plus a small role in the Korean television series School 2017 — under her belt before her Hollywood big break.
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“At some points I felt pressure, but at others I was relaxed and trusted the crew,” says Kim. “I believe that having a little bit of intensity and stress is helpful for me.”
Photographed by Ssam Kim
In addition to reading Pachinko‘s source material — Min Jin Lee’s 2017 best-selling novel of the same name — Kim, 26, prepared for the series (which premiered March 25) by diving into research on Zainichi, ethnic Koreans living in Japan.
She found her greatest resource to be her 94-year-old grandmother, who grew up in Korea under Japanese imperial rule. “Minha, I’m so proud of you that you can play this role, but also I’m so sad that you have to play this role,” her grandmother told her after the pair’s many conversations about the discrimination Koreans faced during that era.
“That sentence she told me, I just got it,” Kim says. “I totally get what she had to go through.”
Out of all the experiences she had during the shoot, which took place in Korea and Vancouver, she’s proudest of the scenes she had with Inji Jeong, who plays her mother, Yangjin. “We shared so much energy when we were on set, and when I was watching the [playbacks], that energy just blew out from the monitors,” she says.
Kim also shared several intense and intimate scenes with Lee Minho, a superstar with a devoted international fanbase. “There were a lot of difficult scenes, but we had a bunch of conversations about the scenes and characters and experiences from our personal life,” Kim says. “He tried to make me comfortable and relaxed on the set, so I feel like I made a really good friend.”
For his part, Lee credits his scene partner’s natural abilities. “When it comes to acting, popularity is not something that matters. I think because it was almost her first time, there was more authenticity in her acting,” he says. “I loved working with her.”
Because they played the same character in different stages of life, Kim didn’t cross paths on set with Pachinko‘s other major celebrity, Youn. The two women developed their versions of Sunja separately, putting their faith in one another and the team that cast them. Kim finally got the chance to speak with Youn after the shoot wrapped.
“It was beautiful talking with her; she’s legendary, not only in Korea but all over the world,” says the younger actor, who upon prompting reveals what the Oscar winner said about her performance: “She told me that there was a reason I was Sunja. That explained everything.”
Sydney Odman contributed to this report.
A version of this story first appeared in the March 30 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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